While continuing to explore broad stylistic territory, Blitzen Trapper’s eighth studio album, a 10-song collection titled All Across This Land, stands as an exceptionally focused and immediate effort. Though it follows 2013’s somewhat experimental VII, a futuristic hip-hop/country-rock hybrid, All Across This Land, in contrast, is a top-down, tightly defined piece of classic rock and roll, full of big riffs, bigger hooks and compelling, instantly relatable lyrics. In sound and scope it recalls two of the band’s more beloved albums, 2008’s breakthrough fourth effort, Furr, and 2011’s landmark American Goldwing.
“We recorded it specifically to be a two guitar, bass, drums and piano record,” Earley says. “Every song is a band song, and arranged just how we’d play it onstage. Because at this point, we’ve made tons of records and we’ve played tons of shows. And the people who come out to see us, they understand what we’re doing and they don’t care about genres or anything like that. They’re more interested in our actual specific unique personality as a band.”
As for what that specific personality is? “I think there’s two kinds of songs I love to write,” Earley says. “I love songs that rock hard and that just make you feel good, and then I love songs that are sad and introspective and touch you in a very deep place.”
Which, in essence, is exactly what Blitzen Trapper puts forth on All Across This Land. “I was trying to distill everything down to those two things,” Earley explains. And if, in doing so, the band happens to pick up a host of different sounds and styles along the way, so be it. “We’re never going to be a band that plays the same song over and over again,” he says. “We like to explore. And sometimes that’s not so easy for people to deal with. But we’re going to just keep on doing what we do.”
All Across This Land is out now.
